Electric attachment for ironing boards, etc.



Jan. 27, 1942, N. s. REEVES ELECTRIC ATTACHMENT FOR IRONING BOARDS, ETC.

Filed Jan. 51, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 27, 1942. N. s. REEVES ELECTRIC ATTACHMENT FOR IRONING BOARDS, ETC.

2 Shets-Sheec 2 Filed Jan. 31, 1941 Patented Jan. 27, 1942.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC ATTACHMENT FOR. IRONING BOARDS, ETC.

3 Claims. (C1.

The invention relates to an electric attachment for ironing boards and is a continuationin-part of an application for patent filed by me on or about August 11, 1938, Serial No. 224,240, for an Ironing board attachment.

It is well known that practically all electric iron cords manufactured at this time are rarely long enough to permit easy and satisfactory use of an ironing board except in close proximity to some convenient outlet. Under such conditions, the ironing board must be arbitrarily placed in order to use an electric iron and the ordinary iron cord.

An ironing board, when in use, should be placed in the home where there is suitable space and light for the operator to do a good ironing job and have adequate roomand light in which to work.

It is therefore an important object of the present invention-to provide an ironing board attachment whereby the board may be placed in a convenient position with respect to the outlet and lighting conditions as well as placed in a suitable space where there is plenty of room in which the operator can work.

Another object "of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein an excessive length of the iron cord is eliminated so that the iron cord will not interfere with the ironing and will be out of the way of the operator.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will permit easy use of the iron for the entire length of the ironing board.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ironing board attachment. which may be securely attached to an ironing board and which will be out of the way of accidental contact with other objects both when in use and when the ironing board is stored away and not in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unitary article of manufacture comprising an ironing board clamp and a tap box or receptacle arranged in a position wherein the face of the tap box or receptacle is substantially vertical, thereby substantially eliminating accidental pulling out or falling out of the plug of the iron cord from the tap box or receptacle.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an ironing board attachment adapted to be readily clamped on an ironing board either at an end thereof or at a side of the same and which will have the receptacle or tap box inwardly ofiset from the edge of the ironing board so that there will be no liability of its coming in contact with 173-334) objects when the device is in use and which will also be out of the way should the device. be left on the ironing board and the latter set up on end when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ironing board attachment in which the receptacle or tap box will be connected with the clamp by comparatively resilient means and in spaced relation with the same so thatv there will be no liability of the tap box coming in contact with the clamp and being broken or otherwise injured should the iron cord be jerked from the outlet by a careless person.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ironing board attachment having areceptacle or tap box provided with a plurality of outlets so that one or more appliances such as an electric fan or an electric light may be used simultaneously with the use of an electric iron.

Still further objects of the invention relate to the ease whereby the attachment may be secured to an ironing board, simplicity of construction of the device, low manufacturing costs, and the securing of the receptacle or tap box to the clamp in a manner to retain it firmly in position and to prevent effectually any liability of a short circuit through contact of either the iron cord or a permanently attached service cord with the means for securing the tap box or receptacle to the clamp.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel structure, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrifice of any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of an ironing board attachment constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to an ironing board at one side thereof.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the ironing board attachment arranged at the large or rear end of the ironing board.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan view of the ironing board attachment and a portion of the ironing board.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same, the ironing board being in section.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the ironing board attachment.

Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the same.

Fig. 7 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view of the device shown applied to an ironing board.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

' which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ironing board attachment comprises in its construction, a horizontally disposed substantially U-shaped clamp member I and an approximately L-shaped supporting bracket 2 which is adapted to support a receptacle or tap box 3 beneath an ironing board 4 either at an end thereof or at a side of the same and inwardly offset from the marginal edge of the ironing board to prevent it from accidentally coming in contact with an object when the ironing board is in use and also from coming in contact with the floor, should the ironing board attachment be left on the ironing board and the latter set up on end when not in use.

The clamp member I, which is constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material, is composed of upper and lower arms or jaws i and 6 and a substantially vertical connecting portion I. It is preferably reinforced adjacent its side edges by a marginal head 8 extending around the free end of the upper jaw and along both sides of the same to the connecting portion I and downwardly thereon to the lower jaw and inwardly with respect to the ironing board to a point approximately mid-way between the ends of the lower jaw 8 of the clamp member.

The bead 8 is formed by indenting the sheet metal of the clamp member from the inner surfaces thereof and is adapted to reinforce. and strengthen the clamp member.

The upper portion or jaw of the clamp member is of greater length than the lower jaw or portion which in practice will be sufliciently short so as not to interfere with the use of the ordinary reinforcing cleat with which ironing boards are ordinarily equipped.

The bracket 2 which supports a horizontally elongated multiple tap box or receptacle 3 in spaced relation with the lower jaw or portion of the clamp member to provide an intervening space 9 consists of a horizontal arm 10 and a depending vertical plate II which constitutes the back plate of the receptacle or tap box 3. The horizontal arm i0 is secured flat against the lower face of the end portion of the lower jaw 6 of the clamp member and it reinforces the same and provides a two-ply thickness of metal through which passes a clamping screw l2. The clamping screw I! which engages a threaded opening l3 in the lower jaw 6 and the arm III of the bracket is provided at its upper end with a disc l4 and at the lower end with a winged head [5.

The screw I2 is of a length to extend approximately to the lower edge of the tap box or receptacle when in a retracted position and is adapted to clamp the attachment firmly to the ironing board at the edge thereof and when the device is attached to the ironing board, the upper jaw or portion 6 provides substantially a horizontal upper surface and in practice will be embedded sulliciently in the soft covering of an ordinary ironing board so as to permit an iron to be moved freely over it and it will not offer any obstruction to the free use of the iron which may be operated substantially as freely as though the device were not secured to the ironing board.

The depending vertically disposed arm or portion ll of the tap box supporting bracket is in the form of a plate and constitutes the back plate of the' tap box. An insulating plate l8 of fibrous or other suitable material is provided within the receptacle adjacent the metallic plate or arm ll of the bracket and is substantially parallel with the latter and is adapted to insulate the mechanism of the tap box or receptacle from the metal pending arm ll of the bracket are provided with centrally arranged openings l8 and Is for the reception of the horizontal bolt l1 and the insulating plate I8 is provided adjacent the recess 28, through which a permanently attached electric service cord 2| passes, with a projection 22 which extends into recess 28.

The arm or plate II is provided with inwardly extending spaced lugs 28 which extend into the tap box or receptacle and which fit against the inner surfaces of the walls thereof and cooperate with the central bolt in rigidly securing the tap box or receptacle to the supporting bracket.

In order to prevent any accidental short-circuiting of the electric service cord 2|, the arm or plate ll of the bracket is provided adjacent the recess 28 with a cut-out portion or recess 24 of approximately segmental form and the exterior surfaces of the arm or plate II is provided with a coating 25 of suitable insulating material which effectually prevents any short-circuiting of the electric cord should an exposed portion of the wires thereof come in contact with the exterior surface of the depending arm of the supporting bracket and should the service cord become looped or otherwise come in contact-with the exterior surface of the arm ll of the bracket.

The tap box or receptacle which may be constructed of plastic or other suitable material, is spaced from the lower jaw or portion 6 of the U-shaped clamp member so that if the cord 28 of an electric arm 21 be jerked out of the tap box or receptacle, the latter will not be caused to contact with the bottom of the U-shaped clamp member and be cracked or otherwise injured as the supporting bracket through its resiliency will permit a limited movement of the depending arm II and the space 9 is suflicient to allow the limited movement of the arm ll without the tap box or receptacle coming in contact with the bottom of the clamp. A sudden pull on the ironing cord will place the supp rting bracket under tension and the resiliency of the metal of the bracket will resist further movement of the tap box or receptacle and will cushion the same and thereby avoid injury thereto.

The bracket is designed to be constructed of sheet steel or other suitable material having sufficient resiliency to permit the depending portion or plate II to be placed under tension when subjected to strain incident to the pull or sudden jerk of the cord of the electric iron.

The tap box or receptacle as clearly illustrated inFigs. 4 and '7, of the drawings, is inwardly offset from the edge of the ironing board, so that it is practically concealed by the ironing board and is out of the way. This prevents the tap box or receptacle coming in contact with extraneous objects and in event of the attachment being left on the ironing board when the latter is not in use and is stood .on end, the tap box will be spaced from the floor or other supporting surface and there will be no liability of injuring the device by leaving it on the ironing board.

The multiple tap box or receptacle is provided with a plurality of outlets 28 for enabling one or more electrical devices to be connected with it, such as a fan or lamp. Also, the device is adapted for use in places other than on the edge of an ironing board, since it may be clamped to the edge of a table, window sill, base-board or the like, and the outlets may be employed for connecting various electrical devices with the attachment.

The U-shaped member of theclamp is adapted to straddle the edge portion of the ironing board a as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The winged screw I3 is tightened, so that the disc l4 engages the underside of the ironing board 4. The clamp is preferably secured to the enlarged end of the ironing board 4 as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, but it may be located at the sides of the ironing board as shown in Fig. 1.

When the device is attached to an ironing board the tap box or receptacle is so positioned that it will not be accidentally injured or displaced, should the ironing board be placed on end in storing and for the same reason, the rethe attachment is applied thereto. whereby the tap box will be out of the way and the resiliency of the bracket will cushion the tap box and prevent the same from contacting with the clamp member should the bracket be subjected to sudden strain incident to the pull of an electric cord, and a clamping screw carried by the lower arm of the clamp member.

2. An ironing board attachment comprising a substantially U-shaped clamp member formed of sheet metal and including upper and lower arms and avertical connecting portion and adapted to straddle the edge of an ironing board, a substantially L-shaped suspension bracket constructed of resilient material and composed of an upper horizontal portion secured against the underside of the lower arm of the free terminal portion of the lower arm of the clamp member and reinforcing the same and a vertical dependin portion inwardly ofiset from the vertical connecting portion of the clamp member, a tap box secured to the vertical depending portion'of the bracket in downwardly spaced relation with respect to the lower arm of the clamp member and in a position inwardly spaced from the vertical connecting portion of the clamp member with box and constituting a rear wall for the same ceptacle will not he accidentally struck or displaced when the ironing board is in use.

The electric service cord 21 is designed to be of such length that the ironing board may be placed at a considerable distance from the wall outlet, if necessary, to position the ironing board where there is sufficient space and light in which the operator may work.

The cord 26 of the electric iron is plugged into the receptacle or tap box 3 which is firmly secured to the ironing board. The length of the cord 26 need only be sufficient for the iron to be operatively moved to the end of the board opposite to that to which the clamp is fixed. A cord of sufficient length permits the operator to work to both ends of the board and is not so long as.

of thelower arm of the free terminal portion of the lower arm of the clamp member and reinforcing the same and a vertical depending portion inwardly offset from the vertical connecting portion of the clamp member, a tap box secured to the vertical depending portion of the bracket in downwardly spaced relation with the lower arm of the clamp member and in a position inwardly spaced from the vertical connecting portion of the clamp member with the front face of the tap box in a vertical position beneath and rearwardly of the edge of the ironing board when and said securing means including lugs projec'ting from said depending portion and arranged to engage interior surfaces of the tap box and a fastening device cooperating with the lugs for rigidly attaching the tap box to the said depending portion of the bracket and a clamping screw carried by the lower arm of the clamp member.

3. An ironing board attachment comprising a substantially U-shaped clamp member formed of sheet metal and including upper and lower arms and a vertical connecting portion and adapted to straddle the edge of an ironing board, a substantially L-shaped suspension bracket constructed of resiilent material and composed of an upper horizontal portion secured against the underside of the, lower arm of the free terminal portion of the lower arm of the clamp member and reinforcing the same and a vertical depending portion inwardly oflset from the vertical connecting portion of the clamp member, a tap box secured to the vertical depending portion of the bracket in downwardly spaced relation with respect to the lower arm of the clamp member and v in a position inwardly spaced from the vertical connecting portion of the clamp member with the front face of the tap box in a vertical position beneath the ironing board and rearwardly of the edge of the ironing board when the attachment is applied thereto, said depending portion of the bracket being cut away at one end and forming a cord receiving recess, a coating of insulating- 

